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Benue crisis: Senate seeks trial of ex-deputy gov, army officers
Senan John Murray, Abuja
Two persons � a former deputy governor and a former political adviser to Governor George Akume � are among the four people recommended for trial by a Senate panel for allegedly arming and training militias in Benue State.
The other two who may be tried if the Federal Government approves the recommendation by the Joint Senate Committee on State and Local Government as well as National Security and Intelligence, are retired colonels.
The committee, which investigated the violence that led to the death of over 20 people in Kwande Local Government Area, also blamed Akume for ignoring pre-crisis intelligence reports from security agencies.
In its full report to the Senate, which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the committee observed that, �Large quantities of illegally acquired arms abounded in the state, especially in the hands of militia groups operated by both parties.�
The committee attributed the proliferation of sophisticated arms in the state to the activities of some retired army officers who joined politics in the state recently.
While advising the Federal Government �to disarm the militia by whatever means possible�, the committee said, �All militant leaders responsible for the procurement of arms and training of militia should be investigated and prosecuted by the Federal Government.�
The committee, which took evidence from the Director-General, State Security Service, Mr. Kayode Are, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, disagreed with the claims of the Benue State Government that elections never took place in Kwande Local Government Area on March 27.
In her documented submission before the committee, the Benue State Director, SSS, Mrs. F.O. Oghore-Ikanone, insisted that the non-release of results the March 27 local government poll for Kwande where the All Nigeria Peoples Party allegedly led in 11 out of 15 wards in the council was responsible for the crisis.
She also told the committee, that, �The local government election took place in Kwande Local Government Area, but with low turn out of voters due to the tension that was created before March 27.�
She added that the crisis was avoidable �but due to the people involved, the lack of political will to take decision by the Benue State Government was lacking as series of security reports on Kwande Local Government were not taken too seriously.�
The SSS director also warned that, �There were indications that both sides to the crisis were still stockpiling arms for a major showdown. The possibility of the crisis spreading to other local government areas could not be ruled out.�
The two retired colonels, however, denied arming the militias that carried out the killings in their separate submissions to the committee.
The Punch, Monday July 05, 2004
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